Two Years of Training
Tanjiro Kamado's Two Years of Training on Mt. Sagiri is an event where Tanjiro studies swordsmanship under the tutelage Sakonji Urokodaki. The training is meant to prepare Tanjiro for Final Selection by teaching him the ten Water Breathing forms. In the course of these two years, Nezuko falls into a deep sleep and Tanjiro meets the souls of two mysterious masked children. Prologue Urokodaki and several other trainers across Japan train pupils using unique regiments at their locations. This is to prepare potential candidates for the Demon Slayer Crops Final Selection on Mt. Fujikasane. Tanjiro Kamado passes Urokodaki's first test and is accepted as his chosen pupil. Year One: Urokodaki's Training Tanjiro's body grows stronger as he descends Mt. Sagiri day after day. His sense of smell gets even keener and he grows more adept using them to sniff out the traps. Urokodaki replaces the traps along the mountain path and makes them more difficult each day. He also takes Tanjiro with carrying a katana down the mountain as well. At first, the sword hampers his movements and gets him caught in all the traps. Tanjiro swings the sword hundreds of times every night after descending the mountain. Urokodaki teaches Tanjiro that katanas are strong vertically yet weak horizontally. He must apply force directly along the blade, and the directions of both the blade and applied force have to be exactly the same. Urokodaki intimidates Tanjiro into being responsible with swords by threatening to break him in return for a broken sword. To learn balance and how to quickly break a fall, Tanjiro spends an entire day rushing Urokodaki only to be knocked into the ground. Then, Urokodaki introduces him to the ten Water forms of Total Concentration Breathing. Tanjiro learns the basics of the breathing technique, and Urokodaki pummels him for not bracing his stomach properly. To become one with the water, Urokodaki kicks Tanjiro into a waterfall. After recovering, he practices keeping his form under the weight of the waterfall. Sixth months after the start of training, Tanjiro descends a different section of the mountain where the air is even thinner. He learns to use his sword to deflect the traps and aid him on his descent. A year after arriving on Mt. Sagiri, Urokodaki tells Tanjiro he has nothing left to teach him. Year Two: Slicing the Boulder Urokodaki's final test challenges Tanjiro to slice a massive stone using his sword. After that, Urokodaki never teaches Tanjiro anything else. Every day, Tanjiro practices what he had memorized from Urokodaki's teachings. Day after day, Tanjiro repeats the basics like exercising, holding the breath, and flexibility. However, even after six more months, Tanjiro is unable to slice the boulder. Tanjiro becomes discouraged and begins to question if he's hopeless. A mysterious boy suddenly appears before him and says a man should bear his pain in silence. The masked figure kicks Tanjiro aside and tells him he's slow, weak, and immature. None of which are the traits of a man. This boy is named Sabito, clad with a fox mask, tells Tanjiro he hasn't mastered a single thing yet in all of his time training. He attacks and pressures Tanjiro to push himself beyond his limits. Tanjiro ultimately falls in battle, and Sabito leaves it to a girl to look after the lost boy. This girl is named Makomo and she wears a fox mask as well. Tanjiro tells her he wishes to be like Sabito, free of wasted movement and quick in a fight. Makomo points out the defects in Sabito's form and helps him fix his bad habits. All Tanjiro knows about the two is that they are a pair of children who trained under Urokodaki, and they want to help because they love him very much. Makomo explains Total Concentration Breathing and how it helps swordsman combat demons. Tanjiro asks how he can master it and the girl simply replies that he must train to death. From this point on, Tanjiro pushed himself beyond his bodies limit by swinging his sword. Even still, he's unable to defeat Sabito. Finally, after sixth months of relentless training, Sabito wields a real sword to their final duel and acknowledges that Tanjiro finally has the look of a man. In their bout on this day, for the first time, Tanjiro's blade reaches Sabito first. Sabito's mask is split in half, revealing a proud smile. Makomo commends Tanjiro and tells him not to forget what he's achieved. She asks him to beat a certain someone and fades away into the fog. The fog clears, but Sabito is not there, instead Tanjiro's sword slices clean through the boulder. Aftermath Tanjiro is victorious because his further improved sense of smell allows him to detect an "Opening Thread". The opening thread draws his sword toward his opponent's openings with great force. This newfound mastery granted Tanjiro the ability to split the boulder clean in half with his blade. Urokodaki admits he had no intention of sending Tanjiro to Final Selection because he doesn't want to see more children die. However, the young man has proved to be a remarkable swordsman and the old man commends him for it. Urokodaki embraces Tanjiro and tells him to make sure he returns alive from trials ahead. That night, Urokodaki prepares a hot pot feast to celebrate the occasion. He wants Tanjiro to relax because his future will be filled with pain and struggle. Urokodaki also explains to Tanjiro that like humans, Demons eat to grow stronger. Eventually, Tanjiro must learn to smell how powerful a demon is and how many people they've eaten. Urokodaki bestows a matching kimono and fox-shaped warding mask to his pupil. Before setting off for Final Selection, Tanjiro says goodbye to his sleeping sister and tells Urokodaki to say hello to Sabito and Makomo for him. The old man is confused and doesn't understand how the boy knows the names of those dead. children. 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